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WPRT-FM

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Coordinates:36°17′35″N87°18′22″W/ 36.293°N 87.306°W/36.293; -87.306
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WPRT-FM
Broadcast areaNashville, Tennessee
Frequency102.5MHz(HD Radio)
Branding102.5 & 106.3 The Game,ESPN Nashville
Programming
FormatSports
Subchannels
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WBUZ,WQZQ
History
First air date
September 10, 1984(1984-09-10)(as WDKN-FM)
Former call signs
  • WTNQ (ca. 1974–1984)
  • WDKN-FM (1984–1987)
  • WQZQ-FM (1987–2005)
  • WVNS-FM (2005–2008)
Call signmeaning
"Party" (previous format/branding)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID43630
ClassC1
ERP100,000watts
HAAT297 meters (974 ft)
Translator(s)106.3W292ED (Franklin,relaysWBUZ-HD2)
HD2:101.9W270BK (Nashville)
HD2:102.1W271AB (Nashville)
HD4:93.3W227DC (Nashville)
Repeater(s)102.9WBUZ-HD2 (La Vergne)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Listen Live (HD2)
Listen Live (HD4)
Websitethegamenashville
1021theville(HD2)
totallyhitsnashville(HD4)

WPRT-FM(102.5MHz"102.5 The Game" ) is anESPN Radio-affiliatedsportsradio station.It is licensed to the city ofPegram, Tennessee,but serves theNashvilleandClarksville/Hopkinsvillemarkets. The station's studios are located in southeast Nashville along theMurfreesboroRoad (U.S. 41/70S), and the transmitter is located between Clarksville andDicksonin theunincorporatedcommunity ofCumberland Furnace.

WPRT-FM is owned by theCromwell Radio Group.It is jointly operated and marketed withWBUZ"102.9 The Buzz", with which it shares ownership management and a sales staff. WPRT-FM broadcasts in theHDradio format.[2]

Station history

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WPRT callsign history

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Originally, WPRT was the call sign for the now-defunct 105.5 FM inPrestonsburg, Kentucky,and was the "sister" station toWPRT (960 AM)in Prestonsburg. Today while WPRT still exists, its former "sister" station moved to 105.3 FM and now uses the call signWXKZand is owned by Gearheart Communications inHarold, Kentucky,and broadcasts anoldiesformat.

Early years

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The station began its life asWDKN-FM inDickson, Tennessee,to which it was licensed and where it simulcast that small-town station's community-oriented format. When the station began to involve the Nashville market, its transmitter was moved toBellsburg, Tennessee,on theDickson County-Cheatham Countyline and hence closer to Nashville. Later, the call letters were changed to WQZQ-FM. For several years before 1996, the station broadcast a satellite-based classic rock format under themonikerQ102.From 1996 to 2005, the station broadcast aTop 40format called102.5 The Party.

In 2005, when the station was relaunched asVenus 102-5 FM,it had to make a special request to obtain the WVNS-FM call letters. PerFCCregulations, they were required permission fromWVNS-TVinBluefield/Beckley, West Virginia,which they received. The "Venus" moniker, however, lasted less than a year before changing to "V102-5". On weekdays, V102-5 ran a live, local hot adult contemporary format. However, on weekends, the station ranJones Radio Network'sHot ACsatellite format.

Stunt formats (August 2008)

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On Tuesday, August 26, 2008, WVNS-FM beganstuntingwith teaser formats devoting to just one recording artist, starting with "102.5 Frank FM. All Frank, All the Time" playing nothing but songs featuringFrank Sinatra.Then on August 27, it went from an all-Sinatra format to an all-Led Zeppelinformat, featuring music from the legendary British rock group. This was followed on an all-Garth Brooksformat on August 28, then finally on August 29, the format was changed to televisiontheme songs,which lasted until 12 noon (CDT). The last song played was the appropriately titled "Welcome Back"byJohn Sebastian.

Return to Top 40 (2008–2011)

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At noon on August 29, 2008, the station brought back the rhythmic-leaningCHRformat to the Nashville airwaves, launching withNelly's "Party People".Kidd Kraddick's syndicated programKidd Kraddick In The Morningwas featured in the morning drive until March 2010. The station changed its call letters to WPRT-FM to match the "Party"handle.

In 2009, WPRT-FM began to add more rhythmic pop titles to its playlist, and by June shifted directions torhythmic top 40,thus resulting inMediabaseandNielsen BDSmoving the station to their respective rhythmic reporting panels the following July, even though non-rhythmic flavored pop artists likeTaylor Swiftwere still also played, a trend that other rhythmics on the panel (likeKLUC-FMinLas VegasandWJFXinFort Wayne) were also doing due to a changing taste among listeners. Because of its rhythmic direction, WPRT-FM now took onurban contemporaryrivalWUBTand mainstream top 40 rivalsWRVWandWNFN.

On May 24, 2011, WPRT-FM changed its format to hot AC, while retraining the "102.5 The Party" branding.

Conversion to sports

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On August 15, 2011, it was confirmed that WPRT-FM would switch to a sports format. Adopting the new moniker102.5 The Game,the format change took effect on Monday, August 29, 2011, at 6 AM, following a weekend ofstuntingof construction sounds,Nashville Predatorshighlights, and a loop for several hours of the closing chorus of "The Party's Over"byJourney.The station took over flagship status for the Predators after a one-year stint on sister-stationWBUZ "102.9 The Buzz".[3]Upon its format change, the station announced it would become a primary affiliate ofESPN Radiosix weeks after launch. This delay was due to ESPN Radio exercising an eight-week exit clause (executed two weeks prior to launch) in the contract with secondary affiliateWGFX-FM.[4]Upon assumption of the affiliation, WPRT-FM began to carry various ESPN Radio programming includingThe Herd with Colin Cowherd,SVP & Russillo,andSportsCenter Nightly.

In 2012, WPRT-FM became the new flagship for thePacific Coast League'sNashville Sounds.On July 23 of that year, longtime Nashville sports radio personalityGeorge Plasterreturned to the Nashville airwaves with the revival of his long-running afternoon drive-time talk show,SportsNight,leaving in August 2016 to become associate Athletic Director atBelmont University.

Logo before 106.3 translator sign on

To improve its coverage in the eastern portion of the Nashville market, the station was simulcast over W271AB, atranslatorlocated inLa Vergne, Tennessee.The simulcast ended on February 5, 2013, when W271AB switched to a simulcast of WPRT-HD2, with agospelformat, branded as "The Light". In May 2017, following a stunt loop for several days of "Macarena"byLos Del Rio,the HD2 sub-channel and translator changed their format to urban oldies, branded as "102.1 The Ville". This format would shift to urban adult contemporary in January 2023, coinciding with their addition of theRickey SmileyMorning Show.[5][6]

WPRT-FM formerly served as theflagship stationfor the nationally syndicated talk show,The Dave Ramsey Show,hosted byDave Ramsey.The Dave Ramsey Showpreviously aired on99.7 WWTNfor more than 20 years before moving to WPRT-FM in January 2013.[7]Both Dave Ramsey and WPRT-FM management quickly realized that his show would be more format-appropriate on atalk stationthan on a sports station. Both parties mutually agreed to end their broadcast relationship at the end of the year. The final airing ofThe Dave Ramsey Showon WPRT-FM occurred on December 31, 2013.The Dave Ramsey Showmoved toWLACthe next day, January 1, 2014.

WPRT-FM has served as the flagship station for theMiddle Tennessee Blue Raiderssince the 2013college footballseason.

On January 1, 2014, W235BW, a new translator at 94.9 MHz, was launched as94.9 Game 2(simulcasting programming fromWQZQ). It served as an overflow outlet for "102.5 The Game" programming, as well as the localFox Sports Radioaffiliate and the home ofLipscomb UniversityBisons men's basketball.On June 13, 2022, the station was relaunched as94.9 The Fan,retaining the sports-talk format while establishing a station identity separate from "The Game" branding.

On March 5, 2014, WPRT-FM's transmitter site was struck by lightning during a severe thunderstorm in the area and therefore was reduced to limited power. The transmitter site was fully restored and the station returned to broadcasting at full power on June 2, 2014. In 2016, the station launched an additional translator, W210CD, which is licensed inHendersonville, Tennessee,broadcasting at 89.9 MHz.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Facility Technical Data for WPRT-FM".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^http:// hdradio /station_guides/widget.php?id=33HD Radio Guide for Nashville
  3. ^Published August 16, 2011 by J.R. Lind (2011-08-16)."On the radio: 102.5 switching to sports".nashvillepost.Retrieved2012-01-04.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^"Game Time In Nashville – RadioInsight".Radioinsight. 2011-08-29.Retrieved2012-01-04.
  5. ^Urban Oldies 102.1 The Ville Debuts in NashvilleRadioinsight - May 26, 2017
  6. ^102.1 The Ville Moves to Adult R&B, Adds Rickey Smiley Morning Show
  7. ^"Financial guru Dave Ramsey leaving 99.7 after 20 years".WSMV Nashville, TN. December 11, 2012.RetrievedJuly 30,2013.
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36°17′35″N87°18′22″W/ 36.293°N 87.306°W/36.293; -87.306

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